Gems of Japlish - 2007 Top 10

One of the delights of living in Japan is Japanese English, or 'Japlish'. English is often employed in brand names and slogans to add a little "je ne sais quoi''.

Japlish generally isn't aimed at native speakers, so copywriters can use English more freely and creatively. For example we have a brand of chocolate bar called 'Meltykiss' - a terrific name that would probably never be used in England. So 'Japlish' is often quirky, sometimes poetic and occasionally funny.


Here are the top 10 gems I've spotted in 2007.

#10 Wako Planning company (Yoyogi, Oct)



#9 'Gash' Maid Cafe (Akasaka, Aug)
This 'Maid Cafe' near my work is just a normal coffee shop where you can have a coffee or lunch served by young ladies dressed as Victorian maids . The other USP is that the staff can chat knowledgeably with their 'otaku' ('geek') clients about their favorite comics or collections of action figures. All very normal and innocent. The unfortunate name was probably inherited by a previous occupant of the premises, probably a very different type of establishment.

#8 Pizza Hut Deli. (Aug)
"It makes you smile and be happy....You will surely say 'Great' and want to buy it again". And I did - until I tasted it.

#7 'My Bombe' Gas Cannisters (Maruman Supermarket, Nov)

These cannisters power the table-top gas cooker we use for stews or sukiyaki.

Your dinner party is sure to go with a bang!

#6 Dental Labour "Gross" (Yoyogi, Mar)
A cosmetic dentist specialising in large Germans?

#5 Gentry Brand Soup (Maruman Supermarket, Sep)
Ths spirit of Bassho lives on at the Gentry Soup Company.

#4 Leah's Kissing Ameba (Shibuya Mark City, Dec)
Christmas display outside the Mark City shopping mall. Ameba is actually an internet blog company.

#3 Boobs Boutique (Kinchicho, May)

#2 TOSS bin. (Rika's Mums house, Ikadaba, Sep)
What every teenager needs next to their computer!
"Simple and Feel A Useful TOSS We have to think about more simple lifestyle"

# 1 Wanka Chocolate (Tokyu Hands, Dec)
Who needs flowers when you can say it with chocolate!

And a special commendation for this classic sign from a Japanese Love Hotel. From the Guardian on-line edition.